Smith Point Light, Caisson lighthouse at the mouth of Potomac River, Virginia, US
Smith Point Light is a lighthouse at the mouth of the Potomac River in Virginia, featuring an octagonal tower built from cast iron and brick. The structure sits on a pneumatic caisson foundation in the water and includes a dwelling building that once housed the lighthouse keeper and staff.
The caisson lighthouse was built in 1897 to replace earlier structures that had marked this point since 1802. The construction was part of a broader effort to improve maritime safety in the Chesapeake Bay region.
Smith Point Light marks an important passage for ships in the Chesapeake Bay and holds significance as a landmark that guided generations of maritime traffic. The station represents the practical knowledge and skill of lightkeepers who maintained these structures to protect vessels and their crews.
The lighthouse sits in the water and is generally accessible only by boat, which requires planning ahead for a visit. Checking weather conditions before your trip and preparing accordingly will help ensure your safety and a better experience.
Smith Point is one of only eleven pneumatic caisson lighthouses ever built in the United States and shares its design plans with Wolf Trap Light. This rare construction method makes the structure an important example of engineering skill from that era.
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